TROUBLE IN CHINA

Hokitika Guardian, 27 September 1926, Page 2

TROUBLE IN CHINA

FIGHTING CONTINUES. HAPPENINGS IN THE AVAR ZONE. [Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.! PEKING, Sept. 24. Fierce fighting continues without material change around Nanchang, which is reported to have been looted ami partly burned, following the entry of the Reds. Fighting is principally south of Yangtsze, among Sunclnianfang’s five south-east- provinces. Wupeifu is scarcely active owing to a succession of betrayals by formerly trusted generals. Reds emboldened by their successes are attempting to bottle up navigation on the A angtsze from Ilankow westwards. Communication with eight provinces arc closed. The Reds are lioing assisted by past differences between tlio northern commanders which is preventing co-operative resistance, in striking contrast to tlio unity and patriotism of Cantonese. Tt is reported mines have been in Yangtsze in places, in Human province. Tho heroic defence of Wuchang is a thorn in the side of the Red campaign. At Shanghai a Soviet newspaper has been suppressed. Shanghai residents continue to uphold their reputation of indifference to China’s writhings. Tlie cabarets arc filled nightly and merely!nts only arc suffering. Thice British missionaries imprisoned in a compound at Wanhsien by Y.mgsen’s troops since the naval incident ale reported to be safe. Smuggled messages give details that troops smashed the mission compound with battering rams, devastated the dwellings, looted pH possible, and threatened to kill tlie occupants in the event of their sending for assistance from troops. Erstwhile notorious bandits masquerading in uniform, of Chinese Christians were forbidden to worship at. the district church. Wanhsien is occupied by soldiery. Three foreign women missionaries cnK .,„ed n relief work outside Nanchang were subjected to tho gravest indignities at the hands of the soldiery. They were robbed of money, jewellery and' supplies, rings were torn from their fingers mnd their house looted. Foreigners are bitter at the inaction, of tho powers permitting the maltreatincut of tlie.ir nationals. CHINESE VERSION OF YANGTSE exploit. GENEVA, Sept. 24. _ Tlie Chinese delegate Chu in his speech as to the actions of the British. warship bn the river YangtseKian", recently took the League Assembly's hreatl. away. Cln, arose to announce that tlie Chinese Government is presenting a Chinese Encyclopedia to tlie League of Nations Library.. Sud(Roily Chu continued with a. highlycoloured version of the events on the River Yangtse. Chu accused three British merchantmen of steaming up the Yangtse at full speed and sinking Chinese craft, thereby drowning one hundred Chinese. AY lien Chinese boarded these merchantmen to make inquiries, lie said a British cruiser threatened the villages \ her guns. Later on a British gunboat slew over one hundred Chinese gendarmes. Big cruisers then arrived, and they bombarded AA’anhsien, killing thousands of Chinese civilians. BRITISH NAVY’S EXPEDITION. LONDON, Sept. 24. The “Daily News” says: “Cliu’s 1 speech at Geneva has astonished the London official quarters. It has deep--1 cned the fear that grave events may now he impending on the River Yang--5 tse. Chu’s protest has followed the ' publication of a British note to China, 1 in which tho seizure of a ship at AVanh- | sien is?described as “nothing less than piracy.” 1 The “Daily News” remarks that, following General Yangsen’s promise to return the ships, they left Yanhsien for Iqhang and they were stopped en ’ route. The “Daily Nows” says: “The action inevitably’ suggests that this stoppage was not accidental, while a recuri rence yf firing on foreign warships is significant. The situation is now in the hands of General Yangsen and the British navy, but tlie question of the next Britsh expedition bristles with difficulties, of which tlie falling of tlie river is an important one; also a naval action may endanger the European colonies on the British Yangtse, where tho anti-foreign footing is now increasing. There remains air arm. The warship Hermes will lie in Chinese waters within a fortnight, hut anything may ' happen, in tlie meantime. INCIDENT AT ASSEMBLY. GENEVA, Sept. 24, ‘ A sensational incident took place in the League Assembly where Clin, tlie Chinese delegate acting on instructions from !iis Government, drew attention to British warships actions in A’argtsei. Lord Cecil replying, said he heard with surprise Clm’s statement and regretted his procedure, especially as his version of events disagreed with the Brit.ish story. The matter was at present engaging tlie attention of both Governments and lie hoped for an early and friendly settlement, although Clm’s statement would hardly assist to that end. British circles regard Cliu’s action as extraordinary, because he previously gave no notice of his intention to raise tlie subject.